Experimental and simulation results of wheel-soil interaction for planetary rovers

The ability to predict rover locomotion performance is critical during the design, validation and operational phases of a planetary robotic mission. Predicting locomotion performance depends on the ability to accurately characterize the wheel-soil interactions. In this research, wheel-soil interaction experiments were carried out on a single-wheel testbed and the results were compared with a single-wheel dynamic computer simulator which was developed in Matlab and Simulink´s SimMechanics toolbox using a commercially-available wheel-soil interaction computer model called AESCO Soft Soil Tire Model (AS²TM). Two different tire treads were used and compared in this study. There is good agreement between experimental and simulation results for wheel sinkage as a function of slip ratio; however, more investigation is needed to understand the differences observed for the drawbar pull and motor torque results.